Two Tory MPs will be celebrating more than just the triggering of Article 50 today.
Andrea Jenkyns and her husband Jack Lopresti had news of the birth of their son, Clifford George, announced in the historic parliamentary debate on Brexit.
Tory backbencher Jason McCartney broke the news to MPs, saying:
“This is indeed a momentous day. On behalf of the whole house, may I pass on our congratulations to our Honourable Friend, the member for Morley and Outwood on the birth of a baby boy this morning, Clifford George.”
But Commons Speaker John Bercow - who had sat through PMQs and a long session of questions to Theresa May on Brexit - decided to intervene and add congratulations of his own.
With a sex gag.
Bercow pointed out that the father of the newborn, Lopresti, ought also to be congratulated - but left the Prime Minister speechless with his response.
He said:
“In Congratulating the Honourable Member for Morley and Outwood on that excellent news to which the Honourable Gentleman has just referred, I think it right also to congratulate the Honourable Member for Filton and Bradley Stoke, who I think had some hand in the matter as well.”
May quickly got up to reply, but clearly struggled to keep a straight face, as MPs from all benches sniggered.
She sat back down, prompting Bercow to clarify: “Well he had a role anyway.”
When the PM did eventually manage to speak, she thanked Bercow and added: “I’m glad I didn’t have to give clarification of your statement.”
The ‘Brexit baby’ was born 9 months and one week after the EU referendum.
MPs had been speaking after May gave her historic notification to the House that a letter formally triggering the start of Britain’s exit from the EU had been delivered to European Council President Donald Tusk.